Vengeance
by MitchieS18
Summary: What happens if Johanna and Finnick weren't really apart of the alliance? What if there was no deal to keep Peeta and Katniss alive? Read to find out! Peeta's POV  Characters and setting belong to Suzanne Collins.
1. Chapter 1

**Peeta's POV **

I lay down on my back and extended my arm for Katniss to easily slip into when she got back from hunting. We had just ran out of 'tree rat' and she volunteered to retrieve some more. I told her I'd go with her, but with my not-so-quiet walking patterns, she quickly refused.

I stared up at the sky, wondering about how my death would pan out, how Katniss' life would go on as the winner of the seventy-fourth and Quarter Quell. Going on to live as the rebel mockingjay who stands up to the Capitol. I want her to live. I want to die so she can. Guessing that makes me a martyr, huh? She's worth it. Even though this was all set up, this whole 'relationship' we'd had, I'd fallen for the "girl on fire" just as the other districts had. Just as Gale had. No one can resist her spirit, determination, and her protectiveness over those who she loves.

I think about how she will no doubt go on and marry Gale, have kids, and painfully watch them enter the arena with everyone's eyes set to kill the spawn of such an unwelcome winner in the Capitol. Will she and Gale _have_ kids? Will he think about it with such exuberance as I did when I merely _lied _about it? _Having a family with Katniss_, I think, playing out the idea in my head.

If I could be a part of that, I'd be the happiest man in Panem.

I never will, though.

I feel a weight balance on my shoulder and find a yawning girl lying down beside me. I smile at her. "Someone's tired," I comment.

Katniss rubs her eyes and answers, "I haven't slept in two days . . ." She trails off and lays her head on my shoulder. I kiss her forehead and we settle into the sand on our beach. I look up to see Finnick has taken watch and Beetee has already fallen asleep a yard or so away with Johanna lain down right beside Katniss. This sets me a little on edge, but this is an alliance, right? Johanna wouldn't lie and kill us in the end, would she?

_Only one can survive, Peeta. _I think to myself.

I pull Katniss a little closer to me and watch. It must've been an hour or so before the sounds of the waves and Katniss' steady breath on my neck that finally pulled me under.

I'm awakened by a pressure on my chest and a small shriek. Gray eyes stare at me in shock and horror. Blood spurts from her mouth and lands on my face. I look over her shoulder to see that a sadistic Johanna has plunged a knife straight into her heart.

_I'm losing my fire girl._

"Katniss!" I yell, not caring if it attracts the Careers. I grip her shoulders, tears starting to form in my eyes. "Please don't go!" I shake her body in a way that wouldn't help my cause. A single tear lands on her cheek, making it seem that she's crying too. She's too shocked to do so. "No!" I say as a single canon sounds.

I look up at the faces around me. Beetee looks just as shocked as me, but Finnick and Johanna have satisfied looks across their faces. Even though I want time to mourn my heart-wrenching loss that has most likely caused chaos around the Capitol what with the baby, marriage, and my plans for her return to District 12, I have to avenge her.

I take my knife and, faster than I've ever run on prosthetics or not, race towards Johanna and Finnick. They're both looking at each other when I gouge my knife into Johanna's neck. She gasps as she falls to the floor, but I don't have time to dwell on such things as I dodge Finnick's trident and skewer his heart just like his friend did to mine.

And just because I'm too vengeful to be stopped, I take his trident and stab Beetee with it.

Running down the beach to where I thought the Careers had gone, I yell "Brutus! Enobaria! Chaff! Come on! Let's end these games!"

And with that, I'm attacked on all sides with only my adrenaline and my thirst for the blood of the people who killed Katniss as my tactic. Yes, I've already killed her murderers, but I'm aimed for the Capitol.

Oh, yes. That means I will kill President Snow.


	2. Chapter 2

You'd think that I would've run out of tears by now, silently crying upon the vice-gripping bed. All of my _minor_ scars from_ minor_ incidents because of these_ crude_ games had been appropriately stitched and ready for the Victor's Tour. Wouldn't want their winner looking like he'd suffered, wouldn't we now?

Even though he'd rather kill everyone responsible for his loss-especially President Snow.

Could someone's rage be enough to take down someone so, dare I say it, powerful? Could it avenge for his fallen brethren, for his . . . love? And should I even attempt such acts with the big, Capitol knife suspended over my head so menacingly?

Hell yes I should. For Katniss.

A knock on the door came and with a clearing of my throat, I called them in.

"Nice to see you're awake," Portia said, wanting to sound cheery, but her features betrayed her. Her eyes screamed 'I feel so sorry for you', while her heavy steps and clenching fists whispered 'let's kill them all'. She tried her best to smile, but it just ended up looking sloppy and ungraceful, which is _so_ unlike Portia.

"I guess that sedative can't last forever," I monotonously said. If I didn't have the restraints around my wrists, I would've shrugged. "Why am I still tied down?"

Portia looked at the bindings then to my face again. "They're worried about your mental state right now, afraid you might lash out and try to avenge Katniss."

This made rumbles of laughter tumble out of my lips and into the tense air. "Happy" tears rolled off of my cheeks and into my ears. By the time I was done, Portia was smiling with a faint confused scowl written on her gold-tainted eyebrows.

"They might just be smart after all," I whispered to myself. No later had the words been spoken, Haymitch bounded into the room with a nurse on his tail, demanding I be released at once.

She just stared at him and shook her head. I realized then that she was a Avox, a slave-type that Katniss once told me.

"Do you have a piece of paper?" I asked. When she nodded and brought it into view with her clipboard, I asked if she had a pen. Saying yes, I had her write out why I couldn't be released.

The words that she wrote all but blinded me:

_They're holding you for experimenting._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

What I had just read sparked a fire in me so hot, you'd think I was burning from the inside out. Why the hell would they want to experiment with me, the winner of their Quarter Quell? Don't they know people will suspect something's wrong with me if I have purple skin or genetically mutated doubles or whatever? I don't think-no-I know I won't stand for this.

"No, they aren't," I said, giving her the paper back. The words sounded like a bratty teenager speaking. The Avox took the paper back and wrote some more, glancing over her shoulder ever now and then.

"_If you refuse, they'll change you for good. Your memories will be erased." _

My mind took me to last year before the last Hunger Games when I told Katniss I didn't want to become another piece in their games. And looky now at what they're doing.

I nodded and said my thank-you's, dismissing her with a wave of the hand. I went back over to the bed and wondered just exactly where Haymitch and Effie were. I'd been in here for longer than I was the first time and wanted to get this show on the road, start this Victor's Tour with my District, _our _District.

I need to figure out how I'm going to face family and Gale. I'm especially worried about my condolences to Prim. I know she'll be the hardest one to face without tears raining from my eyes. I want more than anything to go back to that moment and switch sides with her. Maybe even take her to another location all together.

_Why did you have to go? You're the one I need right now, to hold until forever slips away and everything ends on the outside world. _

I hear a knock at the door before the sadness can envelope me, and I yell for whomever to enter. When the appearances of Effie and Haymitch come into eyesight, I'm so relieved and saddened by their expressions. They're about as shaken and mournful as me with dark, puffy circles and gloomy, grey greetings.

"A congratulations and a condolence is in order," Effie announces. Her usually light-heart voice is now dull and monotonous. I never thought I'd see the day when she'd wear black either. Her and Haymitch both are and have brought a matching black suit. "We are going to wear this to the interview."

"So I'm going to a funeral at the same time?" I ask, confused. "How will it look to the Capitol?"

"Think about it," Haymitch starts. He's a tad bit tipsy and slurring his words. "They will all be brightly colored and laughing and you'll be as dark as you can be. You can't cry though. You need to be and stay as strong as you can for her. Say that as well."

I traipse into the bathroom to change. "But wouldn't crying add to the effect of being in love?"

"Well, do whatever comes naturally then. We all know you were in love with her anyway," Haymitch counters. I hear Effie whimper.

I did love her. With all my heart, so when I'm finally changed and looked into the mirror, I saw a man so torn to pieces he looked like a broken mirror. His eyes look like black holes and his nose so red you'd think he was sick. I fall to my knees again and bellow. My fire has been extinguished and all that's left is ash. Nothing will ever compete with what I felt for her. I actually planned my life with her after the Quell: marriage, kids, and a long happy life of luxury. I would have fed her grapes and showered her with kisses every chance I got. I never wanted to let her go.

A pair of arms wrapped around me, and I looked up, startled. It was just Effie trying to console me with a hug, but her efforts only validated that nothing could replace her presence.

"We need Portia in here now," Effie told Haymitch while rocking me back and forth on the bathroom floor. I gulped for air in between cries and hiccupped when I got enough.

I felt Effie's breath against my ear, and I calmed down as best as I could with a lump of coal anchoring my heart. "You need to do whatever it takes to do what you need to do . . . for Katniss," she whispers so softly I almost didn't hear.

All I could do was nod, splash some water on my face and wait for Portia to hide my sadness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As soon as I was all buffed and shined, Haymitch, Effie and I hurriedly walked until we got behind stage. I still had the sniffles, and Effie had to retrieve me a tissue. I didn't know how I was supposed to answer all of those morose questions without bawling like a baby. All I wanted to do at this moment was crawl up into a small ball and sleep until her face reentered my vision.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It is an honor of mine to introduce the winner of the Quarter Quell, Peeta Melark!" Everyone began cheering, but something was different than the first time I stepped on this stage. It seemed like restrained applause. I looked out, but all I could see were the excited faces of the front row. I took my seat and brought my foot up to rest on my knee. _Here we go._

Ceaser began, "So, Peeta, how has it been?" I looked up and saw an inquisitive smile plastered onto his lips.

"Well, Ceaser, it hasn't been the same."

"And why do you say that?"

I was appalled at his question. Such a minor question almost has me wanting to rip out his heart or slit his throat like I did in the arena. I took a deep breath and remembered what Haymitch told me:_ be strong for her . . ._

"I just hoped that I'd get to take Katniss and my baby home," I said, to which I got a series of 'awe's.

"Oh we know. We could all see your desperation. Right folks?" They responded with a sullen clapping and a crying from beyond where I could see. "So, tell me, how are you ever going to live?"

_I don't know, Ceaser. My life is gone, so I might as well take up drinking like Haymitch._ "Carefully. I have to be strong for her." I said instead.

He nods. "Are you ready for the Victor's Tour?"

_No because I have to go across Panem and face all of the fallen tributes' families. I don't know how I'll live through District 6 with Annie there, Ceaser._ "Yes, as best as I'll ever be."

"Well, everybody, there you have it! The victorious Peeta Mellark!" I thought I might kill him right then.

When I exited off stage, I grabbed Haymitch by the coat and took him to a corner. "I'm not ready for the Tour. I want to stay in District Twelve and help Katniss's family."

"You have to do the tour." He pauses and looks around. "Besides, there is no more District Twelve."

The news made me let go of Haymitch with my vice grip and start running. I had to admit, if Haymitch were drunk, I would've gotten away.

"Don't you _dare_ go do something stupid. Effie would kill both of us if you aren't already dead."

"Well, you know what? Maybe that's the way to go," I spit.

I felt horrible that the statement included him being better off dead, but my situation proves no one needs me now.

"So you want to die even though you won the fight-to-the-death?" he asked. "Why didn't you just have Finnick stab you so he could have gone home to Annie? She's probably feeling the same way you are right now, but she'll be pissed at you."

He was right. "This is exactly why I have to go somewhere where none of the tribute's families live."

He leaned in to whisper. "Well, you know if you kill _him_ you'll be there forever."


End file.
